WO2024235436A1

WO2024235436A1 - Elevator car having a floor with a slidable floor element to access the pit

Info

Publication number: WO2024235436A1
Application number: PCT/EP2023/062898
Authority: WO
Inventors: Markku Haapaniemi; Ville Myyryläinen; Lasse Nyman; Matti RÄSÄNEN; Ari Kattainen; Tapani Talonen; Luigi Salerno; Santiago Ayala; Tero Hakala
Original assignee: Kone Corporation
Priority date: 2023-05-15
Filing date: 2023-05-15
Publication date: 2024-11-21

Abstract

An elevator car (100) and an elevator (200), The elevator car comprises a car floor (1), comprising at least two sections, said at least two sections comprising at least one openable section (2). The openable section (2) is arranged to provide an access through a floor opening (4) from inside the elevator car (100) to outside of said car. The openable section (2) comprises a movable floor element (5) arrangeable to a closed position for closing the floor opening, and to an open position for allowing access to the floor opening. A guide arrangement (6) is arranged for guiding the movable floor element (5) slidably from the closed position to the open position, either to at least partly above another floor section (3) or in a place of a removable floor element (25) removed from the car floor (1).

Description

ELEVATOR CAR AND ELEVATOR BACKGROUND The invention relates to an elevator car. The invention further relates to an elevator. Elevators having a low pit, i.e. the bottom of the shaft are more and more popular, since lowering the pit lowers also capital expenditure of the elevator. Various tasks, such as inspections, adjustment works, maintenance or re- pairs, shortly "maintenance work" are focused to the pit and to the bottom of the elevator car. Elevators having a low pit, for instance less than 500 mm, all said mainte- nance actions shall be made from inside the car through the car floor or the car walls. There are still needs for solutions providing safe and easy maintenance work from inside the car through the car floor or the car walls. BRIEF DESCRIPTION Viewed from a first aspect, there can be provided an ele- vator car, comprising a car floor, comprising at least two sections, said at least two sections comprising at least one openable section, the openable section being arranged to provide an access through a floor opening from inside the elevator car to outside of said car, wherein the open- able section comprises a movable floor element arrangeable to a closed position for closing the floor opening, and to an open position for allowing access to the floor opening, a guide arrangement arranged for guiding the mov-able floor element slidably from the closed position to the open position, either to at least partly above another floor section or in a place of a removable floor element removed from the car floor. Thereby an elevator car that makes the maintenance work possible and safe from inside the car for the components which are located under the bottom of the car or in the pit may be achieved. Viewed from a further aspect, there can be provided an el- evator comprising the elevator car as disclosed above, a locking system arranged for locking the movable floor ele- ment in its closed position, wherein the locking system is configured to allow the movable floor element for moving from the closed position to the open position only if the elevator car is in a predetermined section of an elevator shaft, the elevator further comprising a safety control system for controlling the locking system. Thereby an elevator that makes the maintenance work possi- ble and safe from inside the car for the components which are located in under the bottom of the car or in the pit may be achieved. The arrangement and the method are characterised by what is stated in the independent claims. Some other embodi- ments are characterised by what is stated in the other claims. Inventive embodiments are also disclosed in the specification and drawings of this patent application. The inventive content of the patent application may also be defined in other ways than defined in the following claims. The inventive content may also be formed of sever- al separate inventions, especially if the invention is ex- amined in the light of expressed or implicit sub-tasks or in view of obtained benefits or benefit groups. Some of the definitions contained in the following claims may then be unnecessary in view of the separate inventive ideas. Features of the different embodiments of the invention may, within the scope of the basic inventive idea, be ap- plied to other embodiments. In one embodiment, the car floor comprises two sections, one of which being the openable section and second of which being a section for the removable floor element. An advantage is that number of joints in the floor may be minimized, which makes it easier to arrange a floor sur- face material to the floor. In one embodiment, the section for the removable floor el- ement is arranged at first end of the car floor, and the openable section is arranged at second end of the car floor, opposite to said first end. An advantage is that the access through the car floor can be arranged to the first and the second end thereof, ac- cording to the placement of the movable floor element. In one embodiment, the guide arrangement comprises a guid- ing body having an elongated shape in a movement direction of the movable floor element, and a follower element, wherein the follower element is arranged to move in/on the guiding body. An advantage is that a simple and reliable guide arrange- ment may be provided. In one embodiment, the movable floor element is arranged to move in the place of the removable floor element by a horizontal movement without any vertical movement. An advantage is that the movement may be guided by a guide arrangement having a simple structure. In one embodiment, the removable floor element is provided with a hinge so that it can be turned away from the car floor, for example above the movable floor element. An advantage is that the use and movements of the remova- ble floor element are precisely controllable. In one embodiment, the movable floor element is wider than the removable floor element in direction of the movement of the movable floor element. An advantage is that the movable floor element may provide a safe base for personnel working in the elevator car, even in case the removable floor element has been removed from the floor opening. In one embodiment, the car floor comprises two openable sections and wherein said another section is a fixed sec- tion, and the fixed section is arranged between said two openable sections. An advantage is that a safe base for personnel working in the elevator car may be guaranteed and at the same time access to perform maintenance work focused to all sectors and spaces of the pit and the bottom of the elevator car may be provided. In one embodiment, the fixed section is dimensioned in re- lation to the movable floor elements so that the two open- able sections can simultaneously be in the open position on said fixed section. An advantage is that the access through two openable sec- tions may be provided simultaneously. In one embodiment, the follower element is arranged to the movable floor element underside thereof, and the guiding body is arranged in a structure/frame of the elevator car surrounding the floor opening. An advantage is that the follower element is easy to ar- range out of sight. In one embodiment, the follower element comprises a guide roller. An advantage is that moving the movable floor element may be easy due to low friction of the guide arrangement. In one embodiment, the guiding body comprises a first sec- tion where the follower element lies when the movable floor element in in its closed position, and a second sec- tion where the follower element lies when the movable floor element is in its open position, wherein said sec- tions are arranged for lifting the movable floor element upwards when the follower element moves from the first section to the second section. An advantage is that a controlled lifting of the movable floor element from the car floor level upwards may be achieved. In one embodiment, the first section has a length and a direction that correspond at least substantially the length and the direction of the sliding movement of the movable floor element, and the second section is arranged at the upper end of a rising section extending from said first section upwards towards the car floor, and wherein the follower element is arranged at, or at least in prox- imity to, a first edge of the movable floor element dis- tally arranged in relation to the fixed section. An advantage is that a controlled lifting of the movable floor element from the car floor level upwards may be achieved. In one embodiment, the guide arrangement comprises a stop- per structure that is arranged for stopping the movement of the follower element, and thereby the movable floor el- ement, as the open position is reached. An advantage is that a precise stop for the movement may be achieved. In one embodiment, at least one roller is arranged under- side of the movable floor element for contacting the upper surface of the fixed section when said movable floor ele- ment is moving above said fixed section, preferably plu- rality of said rollers distributed on all the width of the movable floor element. An advantage is that the friction resisting the movement may be reduced, and the upper surface of the fixed section may be protected against scratches. In one embodiment, an edge of the movable floor element extends under a detachable skirting arranged to a junction of the car floor and at least one of the walls of the car, wherein said skirting is configured to prevent the movable floor element from moving to the open position, and where- in the movable floor element is enabled to move in the open position by removing the skirting from said junction. An advantage is that a simple structure preventing an un- intentional moving of the movable floor element may be achieved. In one embodiment, an actuator arranged for lifting a sec- ond edge of the movable floor element proximally arranged in relation to the fixed section upwards for enabling said edge to be slid on the fixed section. An advantage is that moving the movable floor element may be eased. In one embodiment, a locking system is arranged for lock- ing the movable floor element in its closed position, wherein the locking system is configured to allow the mov- able floor element for moving from the closed position to the open position only if the elevator car is in a prede- termined section of an elevator shaft. An advantage is that the safety of the elevator car may be substantially raised. In one embodiment, the predetermined section of the eleva- tor shaft is the lowest position of the elevator car just above a shaft pit. An advantage is that the safety of the elevator car may be substantially raised and that from the lowest position it may be possible to reach elements and components of the elevator arranged in the pit. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES Some embodiments illustrating the present disclosure are described in more detail in the attached drawings, in which Figure 1a is a schematic side view of an elevator car in partial cross-section, Figure 1b is another schematic side view of the elevator car shown in Figure 1a, Figures 2a and 2b are schematic side views of a guide ar- rangement, Figures 3a and 3b are schematic side views of another guide arrangement, Figures 4a and 4b are schematic side views of a third guide arrangement, Figure 5a is a schematic view of an elevator car from above, Figure 5b is a schematic side view of the elevator car shown in Figure 5a, Figure 5c is a schematic view of the elevator car shown in Figure 5a from above, Figure 5d is a schematic side view of the elevator car shown in Figure 5a, Figure 6 is a schematic view of a fourth guide arrange- ment, Figure 7 is a schematic view of a fifth guide arrangement, and Figure 8 is a schematic side view of an elevator in par- tial cross-section. In the figures, some embodiments are shown simplified for the sake of clarity. Similar parts are marked with the same reference numbers in the figures. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Figure 1a is a schematic side view of an elevator car in partial cross-section and Figure 1b is another schematic side view of the elevator car shown in Figure 1a. It is to be noted that only a lower part of the elevator car is shown in the figures. The elevator car 100 comprises a car floor 1, car side walls 20 and a car top (not shown). The car floor 1 is di- vided in at least two sections. Said at least two sections comprises at least one openable section 2. In one embodi- ment, such as shown in Figures 1a, 1b, the car floor has three sections: two openable sections 2 and one another section 3 that is arranged between the two openable sec- tions 2. Said another section 3 may be a fixed section that is attached to the structure/frame 9 of the elevator car so that it is not openable or removable without using tools. The openable section 2 provides an access through a floor opening 4 from inside the elevator car 100 to outside of said car. Thanks to this, for instance, maintenance and repair work focused to the underside of the elevator car and/or to a shaft pit 24 can be made from inside the ele- vator car. The opening is dimensioned so that a person carrying out the maintenance and repair work cannot slip or drop in the pit. The openable section 2 comprises a movable floor element 5 that closes the floor opening when arranged to a closed position (as the floor element shown on right in Figures 1a, 1b) and to an open position for allowing access A to the floor opening 4 (as the floor element shown on left in Figure 1b). A guide arrangement 6 is arranged for guiding the movable floor element 5 slidably from the closed position to the open position. In one embodiment, such as shown in Figures 1a, 1b, the guide arrangement 6 guides the movable floor element 5 at least partly above another floor section 3 as shown in Figure 1b. There is preferably guide arrangements 6 in both ends of the movable floor element 5. In one em- bodiment, especially adaptable in large elevator cars, there is at least one guide arrangement arranged in a cen- ter part of the movable floor element 5. In one embodiment, the fixed floor section 3 is dimen- sioned in relation to the movable floor elements 5 so that both openable sections 2 can simultaneously be arranged side-by-side to their open positions. In one embodiment, the guide arrangement 6 comprises a guiding body 7 that has an elongated shape in the direc- tion of movement of the movable floor element 5 and a fol- lower element 8 that moves in or on the guiding body 7. In one embodiment, the guiding body 7 comprises a guide bar. In one embodiment, the guiding body 7 comprises a rail. In one embodiment, the guiding body 7 comprises a runner. In one embodiment, such as shown in figures 1a, 1b, the follower element 8 comprises a guide roller 10. In one em- bodiment, the follower element 8 comprises a dummy or a guide pin. In one embodiment, such as shown in figures 1a, 1b, the follower element 8 is arranged to the movable floor ele- ment 5 underside thereof, and the guiding body 7 is ar- ranged in the structure/frame 9 of the elevator car sur- rounding the floor opening 4. However, an opposite ar- rangement is also possible, i.e. that the follower element 8 is in the structure/frame 9 of the elevator car sur- rounding the floor opening, whereas the guiding body 7 is arranged to the movable floor element 5. In one embodiment the guiding body 7 comprises a first section 11 where the follower element 8 lies when the mov- able floor element is in its closed position, and a second section 12 where the follower element 8 lies when the mov- able floor element is in its open position. The first sec- tion joins with the second section 12 so that the follower element easily moves from one section to another, and back. The sections 11, 12 are arranged for lifting the follower element and the movable floor element 5 therewith upwards when the follower element 8 moves from the first section 11 to the second section 12. In one embodiment, such as shown in figures 1a, 1b, the length and the direction of the first section 11 of the guiding body correspond at least substantially the length and the direction of the sliding movement of the movable floor element 5. The second section 12 of the guiding body is arranged at the upper end of a rising section 13 that extends from the first section 11 upwards towards the car floor 1. The follower element 8 is arranged at a first edge 14, or at least substantially close to that, of the movable floor element distally arranged in relation to the fixed section 3. In one embodiment the guide arrangement 6 comprises a stopper structure 16 that stops the movement of the fol- lower element 8 in the guiding body 7, and thereby the movable floor element 5 as soon as the open position is reached. In one embodiment the stopper structure 16 com- prises a section of the guiding body where at least one of the height and width thereof is restricted such that the follower element 8 does not have possibility to pass it. In one embodiment the stopper structure 16 comprises an element that extends in the guiding body 7 and creates an obstacle that stops the follower element 8. In one embodiment at least one roller 17 is arranged un- derside of the movable floor element 5. In one embodiment there are plurality of the rollers 17 distributed on all the width of the movable floor element 5. As the movable floor element 5 is moved on said fixed element, the roller contacts the upper surface thereof. The circumference of said roller is preferably made of softer material than the fixed element, thus scratching etc. of the latter can be avoided. In one embodiment the elevator car 100 comprises a skirt- ing 19 at a junction of the car floor 1 and at least one of the walls 20 of the car, typically at all walls of the elevator car. In one embodiment, at least some section of the skirting 19 is detachable arranged to said junction of the car floor and at least one of the walls, and an edge of the movable floor element 5 is extending under said de- tachable section. The skirting 19 prevents the movable floor element 5 from moving to the open position as it does not allow the movable floor element to rise. The mov- able floor element 5 is enabled to move in the open posi- tion by removing the skirting 19 from said junction. In one embodiment, such as shown in Figures 1a, 1b, it is the first edge 14 of the movable floor element that ex- tends under the detachable skirting 19. In one embodiment, it is at least one of the side edges that extends under the detachable skirting 19. The side edge is the edge that connects the first edge 14 to the second edge 15 of the movable floor element. In one embodiment, an actuator 21 is arranged in the structure/frame 9 of the elevator car for lifting the sec- ond edge 15 of the movable floor element upwards. Said second edge is the edge that is close or proximal to the fixed section 3 when the movable floor element is in its closed position. As the second edge 15 is lifted, the mov- able floor element 5 is easier to be slid on the fixed section 3. In one embodiment, the actuator comprises a me- chanical spring. In one embodiment, the actuator comprises a gas spring. In one embodiment, the movable floor element 5 can be locked to its closed position by a locking system 22. In one embodiment, the locking system 22 comprises a lock that is arranged to the movable floor element 5 for lock- ing to the structure/frame 9 of the elevator car. In one embodiment, the locking system 22 is arranged for locking the skirting 19 in the junction of the car floor 1 and the wall 20 of the car, and the skirting prevents movements of the movable floor element as described earlier in this de- scription. In one embodiment, the locking system 22 is op- erated by a triangular key. Figures 2a and 2b are schematic side views of an embodi- ment of a guide arrangement. The mutual positions and po- sitions in relation to the movable floor element 5 of the guiding body 7 and the follower element 8 may be arranged many ways. Some of these embodiments are disclosed in Fig- ures 2a-4b. In one embodiment, such as shown in Figures 2a-2b, the guiding body 7 is arranged in the openable section, simi- larly as in the embodiment shown in Figures 1a-1b, but now the first section 11 of the guiding body, i.e. where the follower element 8 lies when the movable floor element 5 (shown by dash line) is in its closed position, is di- rected upwards, optionally leant towards the second sec- tion 12. The second section 12 of the guiding body joins the upper end of the first section 11 and extends towards the fixed element 18 at least substantially horizontally. An actuator (not shown) can be added for lifting the sec- ond edge 15 up for helping movement M of the movable floor element above the fixed element 18 (shown by dot-and-dash line). Figures 3a and 3b are schematic side views of another em- bodiment of the guide arrangement. In some embodiments, such as shown in Figures 1a-1b and 2a-2b, the follower el- ement 8 is arranged to the first edge 14, or at least sub- stantially close to that, of the movable floor element. In another embodiment the follower element 8 is arranged to a middle section of the movable floor element 5, i.e. some- where between the first edge 14 and the second edge 15 of the movable floor element. In one embodiment, such as shown in Figures 3a, 3b, the follower element 8 lies in the middle of the distance between the first edge and the second edge of the movable floor element. The position of the follower element 8 necessitates to position the guid- ing body 7 partly under or next to the fixed element 18. Figures 4a and 4b are schematic side views of a third em- bodiment of the guide arrangement. The follower element 8 is arranged to the second edge 15, or at least substan- tially close to that, of the movable floor element. The guiding body is provided under or next to the fixed ele- ment 18. In embodiments shown in and described in connection with Figures 2a-4b the guiding body 7 is arranged in the struc- ture/frame 9 of the elevator car, and the follower element 8 is in the movable floor element 5. However, there fea- tures can be arranged other way round, i.e. the guiding body to the movable floor element and the follower element to the structure/frame of the elevator car. Figure 5a is a schematic view of an elevator car from above and Figure 5b from side, and Figures 5c and 5d are schematic views of the elevator car shown in Figure 5a but in the movable floor element in another position. In one embodiment, the movable floor element 5 is arranged to move slidably from the closed position (shown in Fig- ures 5a, 5b) to the open position (shown in Figures 5c, 5d) in a place of a removable floor element 25 that is re- moved from the car floor. Figures 5a, 5b show the movable floor element 5 above the openable section 2, whereas in Figures 5c, 5d the movable floor element 5 has been moved M to right so that there is an access A from the interior 28 of the elevator car through a floor opening 4 below or under the elevator car 100. In one embodiment, the removable floor element 25 covers an opening that is open to the underside of the elevator car. Said opening is dimensioned so that a person carrying out the maintenance and repair work cannot slip or drop in the pit. In another embodiment, there is not any opening under the removable floor element 25. In one embodiment, the car floor 1 comprises two sections, one of which being the openable section 2 and second of which being a section 26 for the removable floor element. In one embodiment, the section 26 for the removable floor element is at first end of the car floor, and the openable section 2 is at second end of the car floor, opposite to said first end. In one embodiment, such as shown in Figures 5a-5d, the movable floor element 5 and the removable floor element 25 cover at least essentially all the car floor 1. In one em- bodiment, there is at least one further floor element, that may be a fixed floor element, so that the movable floor element 5 and the removable floor element 25 covers only a part of the car floor. In one embodiment, the removable floor element 25 is pro- vided with a locking system (not shown) that may prohibit an unauthorized removing of the floor element. In one embodiment, such as shown in Figures 5a-5d, the movable floor element 5 is substantially wider than the removable floor element 25 in direction of the movement M of the movable floor element. However, this is not neces- sary, i.e. in another embodiment the movable floor element 5 is substantially narrower than the removable floor ele- ment. In still another embodiment, the movable floor ele- ment 5 and the removable floor element 25 have substan- tially equal width in direction of the movement M. In one embodiment, the removable floor element 25 is pro- vided with a hinge 27 so that it can be hinged away from the car floor 1. In one embodiment, such as shown as an alternative in Figures 5a-5d, the hinge 27 is arranged in the movable floor element 5 and the removable floor ele- ment 25 can be hinged above said movable floor element 5. In another embodiment, the removable floor element 25 is hinged to one of the walls or to the structure/frame of the elevator car. In one embodiment, the removable floor element 25 is just removable without any hinges. Figure 6 is a schematic view of a fourth guide arrange- ment, and Figure 7 is a schematic view of a fifth guide arrangement. In one embodiment, such as shown in Figures 5a-5d, the movable floor element 5 moves in the place of the remova- ble floor element 25 by a horizontal movement without any vertical movement. In one embodiment, said movement is guided by a guide arrangement 6 that comprises a guiding body 7 having an elongated shape in a movement direction of the movable floor element 5, and a follower element 8 that is arranged to move in/on said guiding body 7. The guiding body 7 may comprise a guide, a bar, a rail and/or a runner, for instance. The follower element 8 may com- prise a roller, a pin, a dummy, a bar, a sliding shoe and/or a rail, for instance. In one embodiment, the guiding body 7 is in a struc- ture/frame 9 of the elevator car surrounding the floor opening 4 and the follower element 8 is in the movable floor element 5. Figure 6 is showing an embodiment where the guiding body 7 is a guide profile or U-profile in- stalled to said structure/frame 9, and the follower ele- ment 8 is the edge of the movable floor element 5. Figure 7 is showing an embodiment where the guiding body 7 is a guide rail installed to the structure/frame 9, and the follower element 8 comprises a groove arranged in the edge of the movable floor element 5. In one embodiment, the guiding body 7 and the follower el- ement are arranged under the movable floor element. Figure 8 is a schematic side view of an elevator in par- tial cross-section. In the elevator 200, the elevator car 100 is arranged to move in an elevator shaft 23. At the very bottom of the shaft 23 there is a shaft pit 24. The pit is the clearance between the bottom of the elevator car and the floor of the elevator shaft in the situation when the elevator car is positioned at the lowest landing door 29. As previously mentioned in this description, the elevator car may comprise a locking system 22 that is arranged for locking the movable floor element in its closed position. In one embodiment, the elevator 200 is a so-called low pit elevator. According to an aspect, the term “low pit eleva- tor” means that a permanent safety space does not exist under the elevator car when said elevator car is in its lowest position in the elevator shaft 23. The permanent safety space may be defined e.g. according to a standard EN 81-20. In one embodiment, the elevator car 100 is in its lowest position as it is at the lowest landing door 29. In one embodiment, the locking system 22 is configured to allow the movable floor element 5 to move from the closed position to the open position only if the elevator car 100 is in a predetermined section or position in the elevator shaft 23. In one embodiment, the locking system 22 allows the movable floor element 5 to move to the open position when the elevator car 100 is in its lowest position in the elevator shaft 23 just above the shaft pit 24. In one em- bodiment, the elevator car 100 is in its lowest position as it is at the lowest landing door 29. In one embodiment, the elevator 200 is provided with a safety control system 30, such as a safety circuit, and said safety control system 30 controls the locking system 22. This may be realized e.g. by closing the safety cir- cuit when the elevator car 100 is in a predetermined sec- tion or position in the elevator shaft 23, such as in the lowest position. Then opening of the floor opening is pos- sible. If the elevator car 100 is somewhere else in the elevator shaft, the safety circuit is open and the floor opening cannot be opened. The invention is not limited solely to the embodiments de- scribed above, but instead many variations are possible within the scope of the inventive concept defined by the claims below. Within the scope of the inventive concept the attributes of different embodiments and applications can be used in conjunction with or replace the attributes of another embodiment or application. The drawings and the related description are only intended to illustrate the idea of the invention. The invention may vary in detail within the scope of the inventive idea de- fined in the following claims.

REFERENCE SYMBOLS 1 car floor 2 openable section 3 another floor section 4 floor opening 5 movable floor element 6 guide arrangement 7 guiding body 8 follower element 9 structure/frame 10 guide roller 11 first section 12 second section 13 rising section 14 first edge 15 second edge 16 stopper structure 17 roller 18 fixed element 19 skirting 20 wall 21 actuator 22 locking system 23 elevator shaft 24 shaft pit 25 removable floor element 26 section for removable floor element 27 hinge 28 interior of elevator car 29 lowest landing door 30 safety control system 100 elevator car 200 elevator A access M movement

Claims

CLAIMS 1. An elevator car (100), comprising - a car floor (1), comprising - at least two sections, - said at least two sections comprising at least one open- able section (2), - the openable section (2) being arranged to provide an access through a floor opening (4) from inside the eleva- tor car (100) to outside of said car, - wherein the openable section (2) comprises -- a movable floor element (5) arrangeable to a closed po- sition for closing the floor opening, and to an open posi- tion for allowing access to the floor opening, - a guide arrangement (6) arranged for guiding the movable floor element (5) slidably from the closed position to the open position, either to -- at least partly above another floor section (3) or -- in a place of a removable floor element (25) removed from the car floor (1).

2. The elevator car as claimed in claim 1, wherein the car floor (1) comprises two sections, one of which being the openable section (2) and second of which being a section (26) for the removable floor element.

3. The elevator car as claimed in claim 2, wherein - the section (26) for the removable floor element is ar- ranged at first end of the car floor (1), and the openable section (2) is arranged at second end of the car floor, opposite to said first end.

4. The elevator car as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein - the movable floor element (5) and the removable floor element (25) cover at least essentially all the car floor

5. The elevator car as claimed in any of claims 2-4, wherein the guide arrangement (6) comprises - a guiding body (7) having an elongated shape in a move- ment direction of the movable floor element (5), and - a follower element (8), wherein - the follower element (8) is arranged to move in/on the guiding body (7).

6. The elevator car as claimed in claim 5, wherein - the guiding body (7) is arranged in a structure/frame (9) of the elevator car surrounding the floor opening (4) and - the follower element (8) is arranged to the movable floor element (5), or - the guiding body (7) is arranged to the movable floor element (5) and the follower element (8) is arranged in said structure (9).

7. The elevator car as claimed in any of claims 2-6, wherein - the movable floor element (5) is arranged to move in the place of the removable floor element (25) by a horizontal movement without any vertical movement.

8. The elevator car as claimed in any of claims 2-7, wherein - the removable floor element (25) is provided with a hinge (27) so that it is able to turn away from the car floor (1).

9. The elevator car as claimed in claim 8, wherein - the hinge (27) is arranged in the movable floor element (5) so that the removable floor element (25) is hinged above said movable floor element (5).

10. The elevator car as claimed in any of claims 2-9, wherein - the movable floor element (5) is wider than the remova- ble floor element (25) in direction of the movement of the movable floor element.

11. The elevator car as claimed in claim 1, wherein - the car floor (1) comprises two openable sections (2) and wherein said another section (3) is a fixed section.

12. The elevator car as claimed in claim 11, wherein - the fixed section is arranged between said two openable sections (2).

13. The elevator car as claimed in claim 12, wherein - the fixed section is dimensioned in relation to the mov- able floor elements (5) so that the two openable sections can simultaneously be side by side in the open position.

14. The elevator car as claimed in any of claims 11-13, wherein the guide arrangement (6) comprises - a guiding body (7) having an elongated shape in a move- ment direction of the movable floor element (5), and - a follower element (8), wherein - the follower element (8) is arranged to move in/on the guiding body (7).

15. The elevator car as claimed in claim 14, wherein - the follower element (8) is arranged to the movable floor element (5) underside thereof, and - the guiding body (7) is arranged in a structure/frame (9) of the elevator car surrounding the floor opening (4).

16. The elevator car as claimed in claim 14 or 15, wherein - the follower element (8) comprises a guide roller (10).

17. The elevator car as claimed in any of claims 14 – 16, wherein - the guiding body (7) comprises - a first section (11) where the follower element (8) lies when the movable floor element in in its closed position, and - a second section (12) where the follower element (8) lies when the movable floor element is in its open posi- tion, wherein - said sections (11, 12) are arranged for lifting the mov- able floor element (5) upwards when the follower element (8) moves from the first section (11) to the second sec- tion (12).

18. The elevator car as claimed in claim 17, wherein - the first section (11) has a length and a direction that correspond at least substantially the length and the di- rection of the sliding movement of the movable floor ele- ment (5), and - the second section (12) is arranged at the upper end of a rising section (13) extending from said first section upwards towards the car floor (1), and wherein - the follower element (8) is arranged at, or at least in proximity to, a first edge (14) of the movable floor ele- ment distally arranged in relation to the fixed section (3).

19. The elevator car as claimed in any of claims 11-18, wherein the guide arrangement (6) comprises - a stopper structure (16) that is arranged for stopping the movement of the follower element (8), and thereby the movable floor element (5), as the open position is reached.

20. The elevator car as claimed in any of claims 11-19, comprising - at least one roller (17) arranged underside of the mova- ble floor element (5) for contacting the upper surface (18) of the fixed section when said movable floor element (5) is moving above said fixed section (3).

21. The elevator car as claimed in claim 20, comprising - plurality of said rollers (17) distributed on all the width of the movable floor element (5).

22. The elevator car as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein - an edge of the movable floor element (5) extends under a detachable skirting (19) arranged to a junction of the car floor (1) and at least one of the walls (20) of the car, wherein - said skirting (19) is configured to prevent the movable floor element (5) from moving to the open position, and wherein - the movable floor element (5) is enabled to move in the open position by removing the skirting (19) from said junction.

23. The elevator car as claimed in claim 22, wherein - the edge extending under the detachable skirting (19) is the first edge (14) of the movable floor element.

24. The elevator car as claimed in any of claims 11-23, comprising - an actuator (21) arranged for lifting a second edge (15) of the movable floor element proximally arranged in relation to the fixed section (3) upwards for enabling said edge to be slid on the fixed section (3).

25. The elevator car as claimed in any of the preceding claims, comprising - a locking system (22) arranged for locking the movable floor element (5) in its closed position, wherein - the locking system (22) is configured to allow the mova- ble floor element (5) for moving from the closed position to the open position only if the elevator car (100) is in a predetermined section of an elevator shaft (23).

26. The elevator car as claimed in claim 25, wherein - the predetermined section of the elevator shaft (23) is the lowest position of the elevator car (100) just above a shaft pit (24).

27. An elevator (200) comprising the elevator car (100) as claimed in claim 25 or 26, the elevator further comprising - a safety control system (30) for controlling the locking system (22).

28. The elevator as claimed in claim 27, being a low pit elevator.